Speed control



May 24, 1938. RJ. KALBREIER SPEED CONTROL Filed April 7, 1937 s sheets-sheet 1 HIS INVENTOR ATTOR N EYS R E E R B I. A K .Im R.

SPEED CONTROL Filed April 7, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR HIS ATTORN EYS Patented May 24, 1938 ETD STE ansa 8 Claims.

My invention relates to internal combustion engines, and includes among its objects and advantages the provision of an improved speed control associated with the gear shift lever in such a manner as to be rendered operable only when the gears are shifted to high speed.

This application comprises in part a contine uation of my cc-pending application on Speed controls, filed August 6, 1936, Serial No. 94,664.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of an engine showing my invention applied thereto and connected with the gear shift lever;

Fig. 2 is a view taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view along the line 3-3 of Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view along the line 4--4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view along the line 5 5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view along the line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 'l-l of Fig. 2;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view along the line 8--8 of Fig. 7; and

Fig. 9 is a sectional view along the line 6--9 of Fig. 8.

In the embodiment selected to illustrate my invention I make use of an automotive vehicle engine i6 including the usual intake manifold l2 and carburetor I4. A conventional conduit I6 establishes communication between the carburetor It and the intake manifold I2. The usual choke valve control I8 is associated with the carburetor I4 and may be operated through the medium of a knob 20 mounted on the instrument panel 22 in the usual way.

Referring to Figs.. 3 and 5, the throttle valve 2li is Xedly connected with a shaft 26 journaled in the conduit I5. To one end of the shaft 26 I xedly connect an arm 28 which is operatively connected with the accelerator pedal 36 through the medium of a link 32 having one end loosely connected to a lever 34 pivotally mounted on a bracket 36 attached to the wall 38. The lower end of the lever 55 is movably connected with a link 58 which in turn is pivotally connected with the accelerator pedal 36. Upon the wall 4Z of the intake manifold I mount a plate 44 through the medium of bolts 46. Spacers 48 are positioned between the plate and the wall 52. Plate i4 carries an abutment 58 which may be positioned in the path of an arm 5l?` xedly connected with the arm 28. adjusted to vary the full open position of the throttle valve 24 for limiting the speed of the engine.

The abutment 50 includes a shaft 54 slidably mounted in a sleeve 56 carried by a support 58. In Fig. 6, the support 58 includes a bo-re 66 having frictional contact with the sleeve 56 and the member 58 is slotted at 62 and provided with a screw '64 which may be tightened for firmly clamping the sleeve 56 in the desired position. I slot the plate M at 66 and shape the member 58 to provide a rib 68 which is slidably mounted in the slot 66 (see Fig. 5). The shoulders 'i6 on the support 58 bear against one side of the plate 44, while a retaining plate l2 bears against the opposite face of the plate. Screws 'M and 16 clamp the `retaining plate 'l2 against the rib 68 but the rib is of sucient depth to permit the support 58 to slide freely relatively to the plate 44.

Referring to Figs. 5 and 6, the shaft 54 is internally threaded at 'i6 for the reception of a screw 86, rotation of which moves the shaft 54 longitudinally of the sleeve 56 for changing the abutting relation between the abutment 56 and the arm 52 for speed Varying purposes.

Shaft 54 carries a key 82 slidably mounted in a key way 84 in the inner face of the sleeve 56, which key restrains the shaft 54 from rotary movement relatively to the sleeve, but permits free longitudinal shifting of the shaft. To one end of the screw 86 I connect a flexible control 66 which extends to the instrument panel 22 and is provided with a knob 88 through the medium of which the control 86 may be rotated for turning the screw 80.

The control 86 may be enclosed within a coiled and flexible tubular member 66 having one end fixedly secured-within the bore 92 in the sleeve 56 by welding 64. The opposite end of the member 60 may be secured to the instrument panel 22 in any suitable manner. Such devices are well known in the art and need not be described in further detail.

My speed limiting feature is designed to be rendered operable only when the gear shift 1ever 96 has been shifted to high speed. In all other speeds the abutment 56 occupies the dotted line position of Fig. 4, at which time the arm 52 may be moved its full distance without interference from the abutment. In this Way, I attain a speed control which is effective at high speed only and in which the efliciency of the Abutment 56 may be engine is not impaired at the low speeds or when the gear shift lever 96 is shifted to reverse.

On the outer face of the plate 44 I mount a bell crank 98. The bell crank is pivotally mounted upon a screw |00 threaded into the plate 44, while the upper reach |02 of the bell crank is provided with a curved slot |04 within which the extension |06 of the bolt 16 slides freely. A link |08 has one end pivotally connected at ||0 with the lower reach 2 of the bell crank and its opposite end pivotally connected at ||4 with a lever ||6 xedly carried by a rotatable shaft ||8.

Referring to Figs. '1, 8 and 9 the shaft |18 is journaled at |20 in a bracket |22 bolted at |24 to the wall 38. The shaft is also journaled at |26 in the wall |28 of a box |30 secured to the wall 38 by bolts |32. Collars |84v and |35 prevent endwise movement of the shaft H8 but it is so journaled as to be freely rotatable. The wall 28 includes a right-angular flange |38 which defines the front end of the box |30. An ear |40 is carried by the ange |38 for supporting a bearing bracket |42.

This bracket includes an ear |445 arranged in parallel relation with the ear` |40 and rotatably related thereto by a screw |46. The screw is threaded to the ear |44 and includes a smooth reach which rotates freely within an opening within the ear |40. The bottom |46 of the box is provided with an opening for loosely receiving a screw |50 having its end threaded into an ear |52 corresponding to the ear |544. Screws |46 and |50 are positioned in axial alignment so that 35A the bearing bracket |42 may be rotated about the axis of the screws. A bar |54 is slidably mounted within slots |56 in flanges |58 comprising integral parts of the bearing bracket |42. One

end of the bar |54 is pivotally connected' atv :|60 with a bifurcated coupling |62 xedly connected with a rod |64 having a universal connection |66 with a collar |68 clamped upon the gear shift lever 96 by a bolt |10.

A plate |12 is riveted at |14 to the wall |28 and is bent to provide parallel reaches |16 and |18 having openings for loosely and slidably supporting a bar |80. A link |82 has one end bent to provide a shaft |84 which passes loosely through an opening in a lateral extension |86` carried by the plate |80. 'Ihe opposite end of the link |82 is bent to provide a shaft |88 which is pivotally connected with the lower end of an arm |90 formed integrally with the collar |36.

A tension spring |92 has one end connected with the shaft |84 and its upper end connected with the wall |28 by a screw |94. Normally the spring |92 yieldingly holds the arm |90 into dotted line position of Fig. '1, at which time the bell crank 98 is positioned in the dotted line position of Fig. 4 with the abutment 50 out of obstructing relation with the arm 52,

A pin |96 is xedly connected with the bar |80 and is arranged to extend through a slot |98 in the bar |54 (see Fig, '1). Upon one face of the bar |54 I pivotally connect a dog 290 by means of a screw 202. The lower end of the dog 200 is arranged in operative relation with a cam plate 264 having an end 206. With the bar |54 positioned according to Figs. '1 and 8, the pin |96 is latched tothe dog 280 through the medium of the hook 208.

In the neutral position of the gear shift lever 96 the lower` end of the dog 290 is positioned directly above the incline 206 as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. '1. At this time the hook 208 is positioned out of latching relation with the pin |96. A tension spring 2|0 has one end connected with the dot 200 and its opposite end connected with the inner end of the bar |54 for urging the dog 200 to the vertical positions indicated in dotted lines in Fig. '1.

Pressure relation between the dog 200 and the cam plate 204 with the bar |54 positioned according to Fig. '1 holds the hook 208 in connected relation with the pin |96' which in turn is i'ixedly connected with the bar |80, which in turn is connected with the arm |90 through the medium of the link |82. It will thus be seen that a pull on the bar |54 with the hook 208 connected with the pin |596 will exert a pull on the arm |96 which in turn rotates the shaft H8. Such rotation of the shaft ||8 exerts a pull on the reach ||2 of the bell crank for sliding the support 50 upwardly to position the abutment 50 in the path of the arm 52. The slot |04 is so inclined as to raise and lower the support 58 for shifting the abutment 50 through pivotal action of the bell crank 981 With the gear shift lever 96 positioned according to the full line illustration of Figs. '1 and 8, which represents high speed, the pin |96 is positioned at the right hand end of the slot |98 when viewing Fig. '1. With the lever 96l in neutral position represented generally at 2|2 in Fig. 8 the bar |54 occupies the position 2|4r The bar |54 together with the bearing bracket |42 is rotatable about a verticallaxis rep-resented by the screws |46 and |50. The Wall |38' is provided' with an opening 2|6 of sufficient proportions to permit lateral shifting of the bar while the universal connection |56 and the pivotal connection |60 exibly connect the gear shift lever 96 with the bar |54 so as to permit free shifting of the lever.

As the lever 96y is shifted from neutral to. first speed or reverse, indicated at 2|8 and' 27.0,v respectively, in Fig. 8, the bar |54 is swung in the direction of the dotted line position 222, at which time the slot |98 has moved away from the pin |96 so that forward or backward movement of the gear shift lever 96 will impart no movement to the pin |96. When shifting from rst to second speed. indicated at 224, the bar |54 is shifted laterally and the pin |96 will again be positioned in the slot 98. As the gear shift lever 96 is pushed forwardly the inner end of the bar |54 will be shifted to the dotted line position 226, which shifting is independent of the pin |96. As the bar |54 moves toward the dotted line position 226, the dog 200 assumes the dotted line position 228 which frees the dog from the pin. At the same time the slot |98 is of such length as to permit continued movement of the bar |54 independently of the pin |96. As the lever 96 is shifted to high speed, indicated at 230, outward movement of the lever |54 causes the incline 206 to pivot the dog 200 over the pin |96 as the dog moves inwardly of the cam plate 204 for operatively connecting the pin |96 with the bar |54. Continued movement of the bar |54 raises the abutment 50 into the path of the arm 52. Bar |80 carries a pin 232 which engages the reach |16 for limiting the movement of the bar be-` cause of the spring |92. Bar |54 carries a pin 234 which resists the tension of the spring 2|6 when the dog has reached the position 228. Pin 232 engages the reach |16 when the lever 96 is in neutral position. Such engagementJ determines the dotted line position of the arm |90. When the lever 96 is shifted to positions 220 or 224 the slot H98 permits free movement of the bar |54 relatively to the pin |95, which in the neutral position of the lever 36 takes the position indicated at 235.

Spring 92 and the weight of the support 58 and the load carried thereby co-operate to support the bell crank 98 in the position 238 of Fig. 4. In operation, the abutment E! is located Vout of the path ofthe arm 52 in the 2m, 2li?, 225 and 224 positions of the shift lever 96. Under such conditions the throttle valve 24 may be operated in the usual manner and shifted to any position between its two limits of movement without interference from the abutment 5E). Simultaneously with adjustment of the gear shift lever 9E to the position 235, the abutment 50 will be lifted into operating relation with the arm 52 and the opening movement of the throttle valve 24 will be limited depending upon the adjustment of the abutment 50.

In Fig. li, I illustrate the link 32 as being connected with a tube 240 within which the ball 242 on tne arm 28 is positioned. Recessed blocks 244 are urged against the head 242 by reason of ooml pression springs 245 located inside the sleeve 240.

One end of the sleeve may be closed by a plug 248. The sleeve 245 includes a slot 250 through which the arm 2B extends. It will thus be seen that I have provided a resilient connection between the arm 28 and the pedal 30. The resilient connection provides a protective feature which prevents injury to the arm 52 after it has engaged the abutment 5E! in the event that excessive pressure is applied to the pedal 3l). After engagement has been established between the ear 52 and the abutment 5B excessive pressure on the pedal 3l] is dissipated through the medium` of the springs E55. Conduit i6 includes a iiange 252 which carries a screw 254 arranged to abut the head 255 on the arm 52 for limiting rotation of the shaft 25 when the throttle valve 24 reaches its closed position.

Without further elaboration, the foregoing will so fully explain my invention that others may, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt the same for use under various conditions of service.

I claim:

l. 'I'he combination of a throttle valve having stop means, manually actuated means connected with the throttle valve for operating the same, a support, companion stop means movably related to said support for co-operation with said first stop means, to limit the open position of the throttle valve, gear shifting means movable to different positions, an operating connection between said gear shifting means and said com-1 panion stop means so constructed and arranged as to move the companion stop means into operative relation with said iirst stop means in one position only of the gear shifting means, and manually actuated means connected with the companion stop means for adjusting the same, to vary the open position of the throttle valve.

2. The combination of a throttle valve having stop means, manually actuated means connected with the throttle valve for operating the same, a support, companion stop means movably related to said support for co-operation with said rst stop means, to limit the open position of the throttle valve, gear shifting means movable to diiierent positions, an operating connection between said gear shifting means and said companion stop means so constructed and arranged as to move the companion stop means into operative relation with said first stop means in one position only of the gear shifting means, manually actuated means connected with the companion stop means for adjusting the same, to vary the open position of the throttle valve, foot actuated means for operating the throttle valve, and a resilient connection between the throttle valve and said foot actuated means.

3. rI he combination of a throttle valve having stop means, manually actuated means connected with the throttle valve for operating the same, a support, companion stop means movably related said support for co-operation with said rst stop means, to limit the open position of the throttle valve, gear shifting means movable to different positions, an operating connection between said gear shifting means and said companion stop means so constructed and arranged as to move the companion stop means into operative relation with said rst stop means in one position only of the gear shifting means, manually actu-V ated means connected with the companion stop means for adjusting the same, to vary the open position of the throttle valve, and yielding means for normally holding the companion stop means in an inoperative position.

4. The combination of a throttle valve having stop means, manually actuated means connected with the throttle valve for operating the same, a support, companion stop means movably related to the support and co-operating with said first stop means, to limit the open position of the throttle valve, a gear shift lever movable to different positions, and an operating connection between the gear shift lever and said companion stop means so constructed and arranged as to move the companion stop means into operating relation with the first stop means in one position only of the gear shift lever, said operating connection comprising in part a pivotally mounted bell crank for moving the companion stop means into and out of operating relation with the first stop means.

5. The combination of a throttle valve having stop means, manually actuated means connected with the throttle valve for operating the same, a support, companion stop means movably related to the support and co-operating with said first stop means, to limit the open position of the throttle valve, a gear shift lever movable to different positions, an operating connection between the gear shift lever and said companion stop means so constructed and arranged as to move the companion stop means into operating relation with the first stop means in one position only or" the gear shift lever, and manually actuated means connected with said companion stop means for adjusting the latter, to vary the open position of the throttle valve.

6. The combination with a throttle valve and a gear shift lever, of an abutting element xedly connected with the throttle valve, manually actuated means connected with the throttle valve for actuating the same, a iixed guide member, an abutment slidably related to said xed guide member and arranged to be positioned in the path of said abutting element, to limit the opening position of the throttle valve, manually actuated means for shifting the abutment, a screw connection between the abutment and said last named manually actuated means, and an operating connection between the gear shift lever and said abutment so constructed and arranged as to move the abutment into the path of said abutting element in one position only of the gear shift lever.

7. The combination of a throttle valve having stop' means', means for actuating the throttle Valve, a support, a supporting member slidably connected with the support,` an abutment having threaded relation With said member, to be adjusted longitudinally in directions at an angle to the sliding movement of said member, said abutment co-operating with the sto-p means, to limit the open position of the throttle valve, gear shifting means movable to diierent positions, an operating connection' between said gear shifting means and saidv member so constructed and arranged as to move the abutment into abutting relation with said stop means in one position only of the gear shifting means, and means connected with said abutment for adjusting the same, to Vary the open position of the throttle valve.

8; The combination of a throttle Valve having stop means, means for actuating the throttle valve, a support, a supporting member slidably connected with the support, an abutment having threaded relation with said member, to be adjusted longitudinally in directions at an angle to the sliding movement of said member, said abutment co-operating with the stop means, to limit the open position of the throttle Valve, gear shifting means movable to different positions, an operating connection between said gear shifting means and said member so constructed and arranged as to move the abutment into abutting relation with said stop means in one position only of the gear shifting means, and means connected with said abutment for adjusting the same, to Vary the open position of the throttle valve, said manually actuated means including in part a bell crank having camming relation with said member.

ROBERT J. KALBREJER. 

